Amisty jumped at the loud, menacing growl. She whipped around, watching as the werewolf raced off into the forest.
"Sirius, he's gone, Pettigrew transformed!" Harry shouted.
Sirius was lying on the ground, scratches adorning his muzzle and back, but he shot to his feet and raced after the werewolf.
Hermione dragged her away from staring, off toward where Ron was lying, motionless, on the ground.
"What did he do to him?" Hermione whispered, staring down at the redhead with wide eyes.
Ron's eyes weren't fully closed, the faintest line of blue peeking out from beneath half-closed lids, mouth open.
He was breathing, but he didn't seem to know what he was looking at, who he was looking at.
"I don't know..." Amisty breathed out her reply, checking his pulse. It was steady.
"We'd better get them up to the castle and tell someone. Come -- " Harry ran a hand through his hair after looking around, but his voice broke off at the heartbreaking sound of a dog whine.
"Sirius."
There was a pause, a moment of uncertainty, and all three of them raced off toward the lake.
Amisty ignored the cold that washed over her, assuming it was just the wind coming off the water, until they skidded to a stop, her heart thumping at the sight.
Sirius had shifted back into a man, clutching his head.
"Nooo. Noooo... please..." He pleaded, voice weak and shaky.
Dementors surrounded him, more than Amisty had ever seen. She blinked back tears, fighting away the images as her legs started shaking.
"Hermione, Amisty, think of something happy!" Harry shouted, pulling out his wand.
She tried. Christmas... Making up with her dad... Draco...
But what about Echo? And Haven...
"Expecto Patronum! Expecto Patronum!"
Sirius fell to the ground, pale.
That seemed to only inspire Harry further, his voice getting stronger.
"Expecto Patronum! Help me! Expecto Patronum!" He continued, throwing a desperate look back to the two of them.
"Expecto -- Expecto -- Expecto -- " Hermione couldn't finish the spell, and try as Amisty might, she couldn't even manage to get a sound out as the dementors neared closer and closer.
The cold was shocking, silence suffocating, the darkness seemed to close in like a cage.
Amisty was the first to fall, covering her face with her hands.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM! EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry shouted the only thing that seemed to keep her from losing consciousness.
There was a soft thump as Hermione fell beside her.
"Expecto -- Expecto Patronum -- "
Another soft thud as Harry hit the ground, his voice weaker, "Expecto Patronum!"
Amisty fought to keep her eyes open, fog clouding her vision and shivers wracking her body.
"No -- no -- He's innocent... Expecto -- Expecto Patronum -- " Harry kept trying, but he sounded weaker than ever.
Amisty's eyes fluttered shut.
Darkness took over.
-=+=-
When Amisty came back to consciousness, she felt the familiar soft weight of the hospital wing gurneys against her back, a pillow under her head.
There was a muffled voice coming from what she guessed was the door, she kept her eyes shut.
"Shocking business... shocking... miracle none of them died... never heard the link... by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape..." A voice she didn't recognize was speaking, even then the words were broken up and barely understandable.
"Thank you, Minister," That, for certain, was Snape. He sounded very, very smug, though, which set off a few alarm bells.
"Order of Merlin, Second Class, I'd say. First Class, if I can wangle it!" The man, who Amisty assumed was Cornelius Fudge due to how Snape had addressed him, replied.
"Thank you very much indeed, Minister," His words were drenched in humility and honor.
"Nasty cut you've got there... Black's work, I suppose?" The Minister asked.
"As a matter of fact, it was Potter, Weasley, River, and Granger, Minister..." Snape replied, not sounding very sorry at all that their reasoning had been justified.
"No!" Fudge gasped, sounding as if he had been scandalized.
Amisty forced her eyes open, wincing at the harsh light and whirling room.
"Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charms, to judge by their behavior. They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. They weren't responsible for their actions," He his voice turned delighted as he continued.
"On the other hand, their interference might have permitted Black to escape... They obviously thought they were going to catch Black single-handed. They've got away with a great deal before now... I'm afraid; it's given them a rather high opinion of themselves... and of course, Potter has always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the headmaster -- "
"Ah, well, Snape... Harry Potter, you know... we've all got a bit of a blind spot where he's concerned," Fudge admitted.
"And yet -- is it good for him to be given so much special treatment? Personally, I try and treat him like any other student. And any other student would be suspended -- at the very least -- for leading his friends into such danger. Consider, Minister -- against all school rules -- after all the precautions put in place for his protection -- out-of-bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer -- and I have reason to believe he has been visiting Hogsmeade illegally too -- " Snape began again.
"Well, well... we shall see, Snape, we shall see.... The boy has undoubtedly been foolish..." Fudge's voice trailed off. "What amazes me most is the behavior of the dementors... you've really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?"
"No, Minister... by the time I had come 'round they were heading back to their positions at the entrances..." Snape replied.
"Extraordinary. And yet, Black, and Harry, and the girls -- " Fudge started.
"All unconscious by the time I reached them. I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretchers, and brought them all back to the castle," Snape interrupted.
There was movement beside her, and she turned her head, ignoring the shooting pain rushing through her.
Harry had woken up, his eyes wide and alarmed. Hermione spotted the two of them, wide awake, and held a finger to her lips as she pointed toward the cracked door.
Madame Pomfrey was leaning over another gurney, Amisty could make out the faintest curl of red hair under her arm, and then the nurse turned toward them.
"Ah, you're awake!" She nodded, walking over to the bedside table between Harry and Amisty's bed, holding a massive block of chocolate and chipping away at it patiently.
"How's Ron," All three of them spoke at once.
"He'll live. As for you three..." Her fierce blue gaze flickered over toward Amisty for a split second until Harry sat up, "you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're -- Potter, what do you think you're doing?"
"I need to see the headmaster," Harry replied shortly, putting on his glasses and picking up his wand.
"Potter, it's all right. They've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The dementors will be performing the Kiss any moment now -- " Madame Pomfrey began as if her words were soothing.
Amisty shut up, Harry and Hermione had done the same.
"WHAT?" Harry shouted, eyes wide and alarmed and almost furious.
His shout had clearly made it to the hallway outside, though, and Fudge and Snape soon walked in.
"Harry, Harry, what's this? You should be in bed -- has he had any chocolate?" Fudge fretted.
"Minister, listen! Sirius Black's innocent! Peter Pettigrew faked his own death! We saw him tonight! You can't let the dementors do that thing to Sirius, he's -- " Harry protested.
Fudge shook his head, "Harry, Harry, you're very confused, you've been through a dreadful ordeal, lie back down, now, we've got everything under control..."
"YOU HAVEN'T! YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN!" Harry shouted, slamming his hands down.
Amisty and Hermione traded glances and rushed to his side.
"It's true, he's innocent! I saw it, we all did, you can even ask Ron when he wakes up -- " Amisty added, just as Hermione began, "Minister, listen, please. I saw him too. It was Ron's rat, he's an Animagus, Pettigrew, I mean, and -- "
"You see, Minister? Confunded, both of them... Black's done a very good job on them..." Snape cut them off.
"WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!" Harry snarled, voice echoing.
"Minister! Professor! I must insist that you leave. Potter is my patient, and he should not be distressed!" Madame Pomfrey scolded angrily.
"I'm not distressed, I'm trying to tell them what happened! If they'd just listen -- " Harry argued, only for her to shove a chunk of chocolate into his mouth.
"Now, please, Minister, these children need care. Please leave -- " Madame Pomfrey started once more, only for her to be interrupted as Professor Dumbledore pushed open the door.
"Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black -- " Harry started up again, swallowing away the chocolate.
"For heaven's sake! Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster, I must insist -- " Madame Pomfrey seemed on the urge of hysterics.
"My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter, Miss River, and Miss Granger. I have just been talking to Sirius Black -- " Dumbledore began.
"I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in Potter's mind? Something about a rat, and Pettigrew being alive -- " Snape snarled.
"That, indeed, is Black's story," Dumbledore nodded, looking over at Snape curiously.
"And does my evidence count for nothing? Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see a sign of him on the grounds," Snape growled.
"That was because you were knocked out, Professor! You didn't arrive in time to hear -- " Hermione piped up.
"Miss Granger, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!" Snape roared.
Amisty placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder gently, gritting her teeth.
"Now, Snape, the young lady is disturbed in her mind, we must make allowances -- " Fudge started.
"I would like to speak to Harry, Amisty, and Hermione alone. Cornelius, Severus, Poppy -- please leave us," Professor Dumbledore requested quietly.
"Headmaster! They need treatment, they need rest -- " Madame Pomfrey protested.
"This cannot wait. I must insist," Dumbledore's tone held an air of finality and the healer, after sending one last furious look in Amisty's direction, before stalking into her office and slamming the door.
Fudge pulled out a gold pocket watch, "The dementors should have arrived by now. I'll go and meet them. Dumbledore, I'll see you upstairs."
He crossed the room, held open the door for Snape, and waited. But Snape hadn't moved.
"You surely don't believe a word of Black's story?" Snape whispered, his menacing gaze fixed on Dumbledore.
The Headmaster wasn't even fazed, "I wish to speak to Harry, Amisty, and Hermione alone."
"Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen. You haven't forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven't forgotten that the once tried to kill me?" Snape hissed.
"My memory is as good as it ever was, Severus," Dumbledore replied steadily.
And so, Snape marched away and out the door, Fudge closing the door behind the two of them. As soon as Dumbledore turned to the three of them, they immediately started talking at once.
"Professor, Black's telling the truth -- we saw Pettigrew -- "
" -- he escaped when Professor Lupin turned into a werewolf -- "
" -- he's a rat -- "
" -- Pettigrew's front paw, I mean, finger, he cut it off -- "
" -- Pettigrew attacked Ron, it wasn't Sirius -- "
But he held up a hand, silencing them almost instantly, "It is your turn to listen, and I beg you will not interrupt me, because there is very little time. There is not a shred of proof to support Black's story, except your word -- and the word of three thirteen-year-old wizards will not convince anybody. A street full of eyewitnesses swore they saw Sirius murder Pettigrew. I myself gave evidence to the Ministry that Sirius had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper."
"Professor Lupin can tell you -- " Harry started.
"Professor Lupin is currently deep in the forest, unable to tell anyone anything. By the time he is human again, it will be too late, Sirius will be worse than dead. I might add that werewolves are so mistrusted by most of our kind that his support will count for very little -- and the fact that he and Sirius are old friends -- " Dumbledore replied.
"But -- " Harry protested.
"Listen to me, Harry. It is too late, you understand me? You must see that Professor Snape's version of events is far more convincing than yours," Dumbledore cut him off.
"He hates Sirius. All because of some stupid trick Sirius played on him -- " Hermione began.
"Sirius has not acted like an innocent man. The attack on the Fat Lady -- entering Gryffindor Tower with a knife -- without Pettigrew -- alive or dead, we have no chance of overturning Sirius's sentence," Dumbledore replied.
"But you believe us," Amisty pointed out.
"Yes, I do. But I have no power to make other men see the truth, or to overrule the Minister of Magic.." His voice trailed off, almost defeated, until -- "What we need, is more time."